Drew Harvell

Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Drew Harvell is a professor emerita of ecology and evolutionary biology at Cornell University who researches the health and sustainability of marine ecosystems. Harvell has visited many reefs in the past and is soon heading to Australia, where the outer barrier reef she planned to visit is now diminished to less than 10% of live coral because of warming stress.

Harvell says:

“Reefs closer to shore have long been impacted by shore-based pollution, but the damage to outer reefs is from warming events. Twenty years ago, our team working on sustainability of the world’s coral reefs predicted catastrophic loss to come, but it is not satisfying to be correct.

“The Tipping Points report is right that we are in extreme danger of losing coral reefs, a foundation habitat that provides the conditions for the richest biodiversity in our ocean (a quarter of all living species) and contributes to vital tourism and fishery revenue for tropical countries. In my recent book about the value of oceanic biodiversity, I emphasize my view that the richest resource on our planet is the biological diversity in the ocean and it is horrifying to me to watch this biodiversity be lost.”

Steven Mana'oakamai Johnson

Assistant Professor, Natural Resources and the Environment

Steven Mana'oakamai Johnson, assistant professor of natural resources and the environment, focuses on the impacts that conservation and climate change have on coastal communities, primarily in the Pacific Islands.

Mana'oakamai Johnson says:

"A fundamental component of coral reef resilience – the ability for reefs to resist or recover from a disturbance – is the time between disturbances. Climate change has increased the frequency of thermal stress events on most of the world’s reefs, eroding their capacity to recover. Reduction in reef resilience is compounded by other factors such as poor water quality and overfishing.

"Tipping the scales back requires collaboration across various sectors – from decarbonizing our energy systems to improving how water is used and wastewater is handled, and supporting progressive fisheries management policies that balance our need to feed people and maintain cultural identities with conservation that protects threatened species and allows ecosystems to recover."